10 December,2025 10:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
30 people have died from rabies between 2021 and 2023, Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde said. Representational Pic/File/iStock
Maharashtra has recorded more than 30 lakh dog-bite cases over the past six years, an alarming figure that equates to roughly 1,369 incidents every day across the state, reported the PTI.
Acknowledging a sharp rise in dog-bite cases in both rural and urban areas, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde informed the state assembly on Wednesday that, in addition to these incidents, 30 people have died from rabies between 2021 and 2023.
Shinde was responding to a query raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu, who voiced concern over the growing population of stray dogs in major cities including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Kalyan-Dombivli.
"Maharashtra has seen over 30 lakh dog-bite cases in the last six years, while 30 individuals have succumbed to rabies between 2021 and 2023," Shinde stated, according to the PTI.
Shinde added that the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, were being implemented across Maharashtra following government orders issued in March this year, as per the PTI.
Regarding compensation for families of rabies victims and concerns over delays in tackling the stray dog population, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the matter did not arise at this stage.
Answering another question, he noted that local bodies had been instructed to scale up animal birth control measures and anti-rabies vaccination campaigns, in accordance with the Supreme Court's guidelines issued in August 2024.
The Urban Development Department issued directives to all municipal bodies on November 14, while similar instructions were provided to rural local authorities on November 27.
Last month, the state government had instructed all urban local authorities to ensure the compulsory immunisation of stray dogs and to establish dedicated helplines for public grievances.
The state's urban development department issued a Government Resolution (GR) in this regard, following directions repeatedly passed by the Supreme Court in a suo motu case concerning attacks by stray dogs.
The GR noted that the Supreme Court has been taking "serious note" of the rising number of incidents involving stray dogs while hearing Suo Motu Writ Petition No. 05/2025.
According to the GR, all municipal corporations, councils and nagar panchayats must capture, register, vaccinate, and sterilise stray dogs within their jurisdiction, and are required to create shelters or designated holding facilities for animals seized during these drives.
"Urban authorities have been instructed to identify specific feeding points for stray dogs and ensure feeding occurs solely at these authorised locations. Action must be taken against individuals feeding dogs in open or unauthorised areas. Every urban authority must publicly display a helpline number for reporting stray dog-related concerns and resolve such complaints without delay," the GR stated, according to the PTI.
All municipal medical facilities are mandated to maintain an adequate stock of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin, while urban authorities must establish well-equipped veterinary hospitals, as previously mandated.
(with PTI inputs)
